My teeth clench. “I think we’re celebrating our mate-circle.”
Chapter 21
Hades
I forcemy jaw to loosen enough to take a long swig of my drink. My eyes close with the process, only for Maliki to clear his throat.
“Mate-circle?” he prompts when I look at him. “We’re celebratingourmate-circle?”
I sigh. “You’re going to make me work for this, aren’t you?”
“I’m going to make you fucking explain it, yeah,” he returns. “Starting with theclaiming markyou supposedly gave me with that damn coin.”
I arch a brow. “Morpheus told you?”
“He has nothing to do with this.”
He has a lot to do with this, actually,I think. But that’s a conversation for later. Right now, I need to address my claim. “It wasn’t my original intention. I only meant to provide you with the protection you needed when facinganother Alpha. But I’ve since realized there may have been more to it than that.”
“May have been?” he repeats, sounding incredulous.
I take another drink, notice that my glass is already half empty, and refill it before heading over to my couch.
That’s when I suddenly see that my surroundings are… uninhabitable.
Arching my brow, I glance around my suite. It’s like Mort and Howl tussled through the lounge and shredded everything with their claws.
But this wasn’t done by my beast.
Nor is this the result of the Alpha attack from the other day.
No. This has Maliki’s signature all over it.
“Was this really necessary?” I ask him, exasperated.
He shrugs. “Necessary? No. Fun? Abso-fucking-lutely.”
I face him again. “You know I would kill most fae for this, right?”
Another shrug. “You say that like I fear death.”
I shake my head. “You’re almost as psychotic as Reaper.”
His lips curl, but the smile lacks true amusement. “Thank you,” he says, his tone telling me he doesn’t mean that at all. “Now talk to me about this mate-circle. Tell me what it means to you. That I pleasure Sera for your benefit…? That everything I do with her is for you? Because if that’s the case, then I’ll pass.”
“You can’tpass,” I inform him flatly. “And no. It’s for Serapina, not me. However, I will absolutely get pleasure out of it.” Because watching him play with Serapina will be…enjoyable. “And probably some pain, too, since you’ll likely be the first to put me in my place when needed.”
As evidenced by these last few days.
“You’re the only one willing to challenge me, which Ineed. You’ll ensure that I’m the best Alpha I can be—for Serapina.”
“So now I’m babysitting you?” Maliki asks, releasing a humorless laugh. “No, thank you.”
I glare at him. “You’re being purposely obtuse.”
“Pot, meet kettle.”
“Another human phrase that makes no sense.”
